New Jersey bill will enhance efficiency and reduce environmental impact

Responding to the legislation, Anbaric New Jersey president Janice Fuller said the legislation, S3985/A5663, “makes tremendous progress toward creating efficient and successful transmission infrastructure to deliver wind energy generated off the coast of New Jersey to the grid.”

Ms Fuller said allowing the Board of Public Utilities to bid projects specifically for open-access transmission “is an enormous step forward” in creating a more robust, affordable offshore wind industry in New Jersey. She said it would also minimise the impact on the environment and fisheries.

“This legislation will allow for increased competition in future offshore wind solicitations. Open-access transmission enables wind generators to plug into a planned, efficient system that delivers more energy with less risk while protecting the environment,” she explained.

“Progressive steps such as those made possible through this law, coupled with Governor Murphy’s laudable offshore wind goals, will further solidify New Jersey’s place as a national leader in renewable energy.”

In November 2019, Governor Murphy signed an executive order increasing New Jersey’s offshore wind goal from 3.5 GW by 2030 to 7.5 GW by 2035.

The executive order, which more than doubled New Jersey’s offshore wind goal, will deliver clean energy needed to meet the state’s goals of using 50% renewable energy by 2030 and having a 100% clean energy economy by 2050. It will also help create thousands of jobs.

“There is no other renewable energy resource that provides us with the generation or economic growth potential of offshore wind,” said Governor Murphy at the time.